Table moving dolly



April 1953 0-. c. IRELAND 2,636,626

- TABLE MOVING DOLLY 'F'iled April 20, 1950 I 2 smE'rs-sma'r 1 15 INVENTOR.

ewye (bale/2a.

ATTOIPA/EK April 28, 1 3 G. c. IRELAND 2,636,626

TABLE MOVING .DOLLY Filed April 20, 1950 2 SHEETS-+SHEET 2 I I Z 55 x 8 ,2" 25 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to adolly.

The invention is more particularly concerned with an improved form of dolly for moving tables from one position to another in restaurants, club rooms or the like.

As is generally known, it is a common and essential practice to move tables in a lunch room or club room preparatory to cleaning up operations or for making room for parties or the like following lunch and at which time the tables are orderly positioned about the room.

The usual lunch table is comparatively heavy and accordingly requires the expenditure of considerable manual energy in clearing a floor of a relativelylarge lunch or club room by the now common practice of individually grasping the tables and carrying them to an out-of-the-way position.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a dolly by use of which tables may readily be transported from one position to another with the expenditure of minimum manual effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table transporting dolly which functions as a table lifting jack and a table transporting carriage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dolly which is capable of transporting different forms and sizes of tables.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a table transporting dolly which is durable, easy to operate and which is capable of being stored in a relatively smal1 space.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved dolly in an inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the dolly.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the dolly with the upper portion thereof broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View showing one end of the movable table top clamping jaw in elevation and the adjacent end of the operating handle in section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the adjustable table leg supporting arm.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the dolly in table grasping position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the dolly in table transporting position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, 10 i nates an elongated base which is preferably provided by a cylindrical rod in loop form and which rod is preferably tubular to provide lightness in construction. A plate H is secured to the lower side of the base adjacent each end thereof and each plate is provided with an inverted U-shaped bracket 12 in which is rotatably journalled a wheel or coaster l3.

A U-shaped tubular member of rubber or other cushioning material I4 is supported on each end of the base [0 for a purpose later to appear.

A pair of parallel laterally spaced tubular members !5 are disposed transversely of base 10 and intermediate the ends thereof. The members l5 terminate at their forward ends adjacent the front edge of the base and the rear ends thereof are disposed substantially rearwardly of the rear edge of the base.

A plate I6 is rigidly supported on the lower sides of members [5 adjacent the rear ends thereof. An inverted U-shaped bracket I! is rigidly supported by the plate and a wheel or caster i8 is rotatably journalled in the bracket.

The axes of the wheels [3 are spaced a greater distance from the axes of members l5 than is the axis of wheel 18 for a purpose later to appear.

A linearly adjustable table supporting arm is provided and which is formed as a continuation of the members 15, the arm accordingly being at right angles to the base and projecting forwardly thereof.

The said arm comprises a pair of tubular members I9 having their rear ends telescopically engaged in the front ends of tubular members l5 and suitable set screws 20 are provided to retain the members H9 in adjusted osition. A pair of cylindrical rods 2| have their rear ends telescopically engaged in the front ends of members I9 and suitable set screws 22 are provided to retain the rods in adjusted position.

A flexible table leg engaging boot 23 in the form of a tube is supported on a unitary connec tion 24 between the front ends of rods 2! for a purpose later to appear.

A pair of upright bars 25 extend vertically upward from base In and such bars are retained in spaced relation by suitable spacing blocks 26 (Fig. 3) which may be disposed at suitable intervals along the bars. The lower ends of the bars are rigidly supported on a plate 21 which in turn is rigidly secured to the bottom side of base I0 (Fig. 2).

A'pair of brace bars 28 extend from plates H to opposite sides of the bars 25' at points spaced substantially above the base ID.

A rigid table top gripping jaw 28 is provided plate 3! or the substitution therefor of other plates of different thicknesses.

A movable jaw 35 is pivotally supno,1*ted by,..a,

cotter pin 36 between the bars 25 and intermedi'-' ate the ends of the jaw.

While the heights of tables frgm. the floor to the top surfaces thereof are substantiallystand-- ard, no adjustment of the fixed jaw is necessary;

but since the thickness of table tops vary, provisin- .-is-,made for, adjustment of the movable jaw, 35,-, Flor this. purpose the. bars areproe videdwith a series of vertically spacedapertures 3?, for selectively receivingthe pin 3 it.

"They jaw.,35. is.,also provided-with. a plate 33 Opposed-tomato 3 l. and each of. such. plates is preferably provided. with a, pad to, prevent marrin of; the tables when. handling same by the. dolly.

The dolly further, includesan operatinghandle fiilvprovided. witha suitable terminal hand gripping; portion 41,.

Ac-onneetion isprcvided between adjacent ends of thejaw .35. and. thehandlev liiwhereby the handle, may: optionally .be placed in operating position or, allowed to, dangle. vertically in Fig. lfor conservation of storage space as. w-

to avoid possible personal injuryb'y the projecting handle.

Such connection preierabl'y. comprises atongue 42 on the rear, endof jaw. illi-andwhich is.provided with a slot 53,. which terminates forwardly of'the rear end of the tongue. The. adjacentend of handle Q6]; is. provided with a recess l M which opensthrough the lower edge or" the handle and a pivot pindfiiscarriedby thehandle and extendsthroughtheslot. 43 andthe recess M.

With this construction, the-handle in Fig. 1 need only be raisedinto. parallelism Wit-hjaw. 35; and then pushed forwardly to the position of Fig. a in; which position ,lateral.. n ovement of; the handle. will impart swinging movement to; the aw...

Having set. forthv the preferredstructure ofthe dolly. the. .operation. is as follows:

Th rhandlc 9. is ai e amb shed orwardly to .provide. a. vertical. rigid connection with the j aw. 35. The dolly. is. moved. toward the table T (Fig. 6) with the, arm l 9., ,2 i andthe jaws. 29; and td-horizontally disposed and with the. dolly; being supportedon the front. wheels. I}; only, witlrthe rear. wheel disposedabove andinspaced; relation to the floor f. The dolly isadvanced toward the table. to a position wherein the boot 23 engages the pedestal p and the jaws 29 and. receive an edge of the table top i therebetween. It is of courseto be understood that the arm IE; Zi ha's been properly adjusted for the particular size tables to be transported.

With the dolly. in the table engaging position of Fig. 6, downward pressure is exerted. on: the handle lil which results in the dolly pivoting about theaxcs; fzwhccls l 3 un il 1. wheel:- I t ensasle t floor.asshonnflngli be 'movedi.

The table is raised oil the floor in this jack-like action of the dolly and upon forward pushin on lever 40 the table may readily be transported to a desired location, after which the downward pressure on handle All is released and the table engages the floor with the dolly in the position of Fig. 6. The handle 4%! may then be pulled rearwardly and dropped down to the position of Fig. 1 in the event that no further tables are to When it -is--desired tomove four 'legged tables, two of the legs will engage the cushioning members I4 on base It and the tables may otherwise be, moved as above described.

While" I have disclosed my invention in accordance;-,with a;single structural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only, and-net restrictive {the scope of the invention beingdefined in the subjoined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. A table. transporting dolly comprising an elon ated substantially horizontal base, supporting wheels journalled beneath said base, a pair of'spaced bars projecting upwardly.i':rom, said base and. terminatingin latemlportions providing,- a. ,table, top engageable fixed vj aw, m able table topengageable jaw. beneathgthe .fixed jaw and. pivoted intermediate itsends, between said. barsand an adjustable table, oolumnyen gageable arm extending from said base..in. .tl'1e direction of saidjawsu 2. The structureaccordingto claimrl, wherein said wheels comprise a wheeladjacent each. .end of, said base with, their axes in the planeof said bars, and a single, wheel disposed, rearwardly of said bars and in, a. plane intermediate the planes of the first wheels, the wheels all beingofun'l: form; diameter: withthe. axisof .thelastwheel closer the base than. theexes. of. the first. two

- wheels.

3. Thestructure according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable arm comprises two pairs of. later: ally spaced. telescoping, members, ,anda table columnengageable. boot supported by the. outer,-, most pair or said members.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said arm is disposed centrally of said .base, and a pair of reinforcing rods extending from points adjacent the endsfofsaid base, to said-.bars at points. thereon, substantially spaced, from; said base.

5'. The structure according to claim. I to: gether with a cushioning member. on eachv end of said base.v

6'. The structure. according to claim... 1', to; getherwithan.operating handle having a pivotal and interlocking, connection; with said movable Jaw.

F... Sent; 12.;1195i1 

